Visit the Zhengjue Ancient Temple in Fuzhou!

The Zhengjue Ancient Temple is a historic Buddhist temple that was first built in 768 AD during the Tang Dynasty. It is located on Xiniu Mountain outside the east gate of Linchuan District, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province. It was initially named Kaiyuan Temple, then Miao Jue Temple during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, and finally renamed Zhengjue Ancient Temple during the Qing Dynasty. The Zhengjue Ancient Temple is an important site for Zen Buddhism. It was founded by the highly respected Dao Yi, the eighth ancestor of the Southern School of Zen Buddhism, who advocated "the heart is the Buddha, the heart is the Buddha" as the source of Hongzhou Zen. The ancient temple has been renovated and expanded many times throughout history. It was renovated by Monk Faguo during the late Qing Dynasty, and in 1948, Monk Handu presided over and initiated the Three Altar Precepts. The Zhengjue Ancient Temple is not only a place for religious activities, but also an important carrier of cultural heritage. Throughout history, famous figures such as Yan Shu, Wang Anshi, Tang Xianzu, and Li Zhi have visited the temple and left behind poems. There is also a well in the temple called "Xingquan". It is said that tea made with water from this well can prolong life. After the reform and opening up, the Zhengjue Ancient Temple was restored and developed. In 1984, religious policies were implemented, and the old monk Jiehui restored the ancestral temple, giving the temple a new lease of life. After 2000, Monk Xuehui took over as abbot and improved the functions and layout of the temple. Today, the Zhengjue Ancient Temple covers an area of about 36 acres and has a building area of 8,600 square meters. It has 17 resident monks and has become an important Buddhist site in Fuzhou City. It has been rated as a "Double Harmony Temple" and listed as a provincial key temple. The architectural complex of the Zhengjue Ancient Temple includes the mountain gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Bell and Drum Tower, the Abbot's Room, the Dharma Hall, the Zen Hall, the Guest Hall, the Dining Hall, the Dharma Lecture Hall, the Buddha Recitation Hall, the Guanyin Hall, the Sangharama Hall, the Patriarch Hall, the Ksitigarbha Hall, the Monk's Dormitory, the Library, the Sutra Collection Building, and the Tuo Long Xuan, etc. More than ten Tang-style buildings are carefully arranged according to the rules of the jungle, orderly. There is also a Wanfo Pagoda in the temple, with green bricks and green tiles, and a golden top. The pagoda has nine floors and is 66.6 meters high. There are various Buddha statues in the pagoda, which are magnificent. The Zhengjue Ancient Temple is not only the center of Buddhist faith, but also a good place for tourism, cultural nostalgia, and seeking spiritual artistic conception.